“Elections are celebrations of democracy. They communicate the will of the people, which is supreme in a democracy,” PM said.

The ECI will celebrate the seventh National Voters’ Day across the country today, for enhancing the participation of the citizens in the electoral process.

January 25 is marked as the foundation day of the Election Commission, which came into being in 1950.

GDP growth to slow to 6 per cent

Demonetisation has stymied India’s GDP growth and the Oct-Dec quarter show is likely to be around 6%, while for Jan-March it could climb down to 5.7%, forecasts a Nomura report.

According to Nomura major,the consumption and services, which were the fastest growing segments predemonetisation, were the worst-hit.

However a V shaped recovery is expected from the second half of 2017, it said.

Committee of CM’s on Digital Payments

A Committee of Chief Ministers was constituted under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Chandrababu Naidu to examine and recommend measures for implementation of digital payment systems.

The Committee has submitted an Interim Report to the Government.

The recommendations will be carefully examined and appropriate decisions will be taken in due course.

Starbucks looks to add Satya Nadella

India-born CEO Satya Nadella has been nominated to join the Board of Starbucks for his “invaluable insight” in international operations and distribution as the global coffee giant focusses on global growth and innovation.

Their election, which will bring the Board strength to 14, requires approval of the company shareholders, who will meet in March.

Missile is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 2,200 kms, which brings many Indian cities within its striking range.

This development comes just weeks after country test fired the Babur-, its first Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile.

First stable semi-synthetic organism

Scientists have created the first stable semi-synthetic organism -a single-celled bacterium – that may play important roles in drug discovery and other applications.

Researchers developed the means for the single-celled organism to retain the artificial base pair.

They used gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to design their organism to see a genetic sequence without X and Y as a foreign invader.

Mike Pompeo sworn in as CIA director

Mike Pompeo was sworn in on Monday night as the new CIA director.

He was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence.

The Senate voted on Monday night to confirm Pompeo, giving President Donald Trump his third official Cabinet member.

He was approved by a large margin of votes, 66 to 32.

Travelling abroad has gone up 2.5 times

Compared to 8.3 million Indians who undertook foreign trips in 2006, more than 20 million travelled abroad in 2015.

If one calculates the rate of foreign trips per 1,000 people, it is clear that it has doubled since 2006.

Scientists spot sunspot with centre

Scientists have spotted a new view of the dark,contorted centre of a sunspot that is nearly twice the diameter of the Earth.

It was spotted using Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array antennas located in Atacama Desert of northern Chile.

Sunspots are darker,cooler areas on the surface of the sun in a region called the photosphere having temperature 5800 degrees Kelvin.

Rations only to villagers with toilets

In an attempt to attain Open Defecation Free status as early as possible, the Sheopur district (M.P.) administration is providing rations to BPL card holders in a village only after they produce a certificate that they have built a toilet at home.

The PDS shop has been told to give provisions only when BPL beneficiaries produce the certificate.

Scientists have designed a novel meta material that can switch between being hard and soft without damaging or altering itself

Researchers at University of Michigan discovered a way to compose a metamaterial that can be easily manipulated to increase the stiffness of its surface by orders of magnitude

Ordinance can bring on Kambala in KA

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said an ordinance can be brought, if necessary, to allow the conduct of traditional buffalo race “Kambala” in coastal areas after seeking legal opinion.

Kambala is a rural sport that is especially organised in the coastal region.

It is in court now and coming up for hearing. If there is a necessity, an ordinance can be brought,he told.

Functional human skin

Scientists have developed a new 3D bioprinter that can create totally functional human skin, which can be used for transplants

The endeavour is a collaboration between scientists at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid & bio-engineering company BioDan Group

The research makes human skin one of the first living organs created using bioprinting

World’s first trillionaire

Microsoft founder Bill Gates will be world’s first trillionaire in the next 25 years.

According to research firm Oxfam International, the world would get its first trillionaire in the next 25 years.

A report by Oxfam International said that considering that Bill Gates’ fortune is growing at 11% per year since 2009, he could become the world’s first trillionaire soon.

Fiscal deficit for FY16 was 4.31% : CAG

The CAG has estimated the Centre’s fiscal deficit in FY16 to be Rs 53,146 crore higher than estimated in the Budget.

According to India’s top auditor, fiscal deficit stood at 4.31 per cent of the GDP in FY16 versus the provisional actuals of 3.9 per cent.

The gap was Rs 97,452 crore in FY09. Although difference has since narrowed and become negligible in FY14, it is again looking up.

USA pulls out of TPP

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to formally pull US out of the negotiating process of the Trans-Pacific Partnership

The TPP is a trade agreement under negotiation among 12 Pacific Rim nations accounting for 40% of the world economy

TPP was one of the major international trade initiatives of his predecessor Barack Obama aimed to counter China.

Only 1% of R&D funds for HIV,TB, malaria

Only 1% of the total funding on health R&D was allocated towards neglected diseases like HIV , tuberculosis and malaria which account for over 12.5% of the global disease burden, WHO said in it’s assessment.

According to the Global TB Report-2016, India accounts for 24% of global TB cases.

India also accounts for the highest malaria burden outside Africa.

Successful test of Guided Pinaka rocket

India on Tuesday conducted the second successful test of the Guided Pinaka rocket from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) launch pad at Chandipur in Odisha.

On January 12, the first test flight of the improved version was conducted by the DRDO.

According to sources, the range of the rocket has increased from 40 to 70km with an improved accuracy from 500m to 50m

Rs 7,833 cr funding from unknown sources

Political parties received Rs 7,833 crore funding from unknown sources between 2004-05 and 2014-15, which is 69 per cent of their total income.

This report published by Delhi-based think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Income of political parties from known donors was Rs 1,835.63 crore, which is 16 per cent of their total income.

Jammu and Kashmir tops the list

Jammu and Kashmir police walked away with the highest number of police medals for gallantry this year, with its personnel bagging 32 of the total 100 awards announced.

No person was awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) this year with the government failing to find any deserving case.